So that's what me looking for joy for a week looks like. It was fun. I'll do it more often.
But, um.
This weekend, while I was out of town, my neighbors dug up some trees they assumed I would not want where they were.
They then took them away, as they were preparing to haul some brush themselves.
I had vague notions of transplanting said trees elsewhere.
I have never, ever, met these neighbors. Still.
What, if anything, would you do with this situation?
(For context, my history with these same neighbors here and here and here.)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Extracting joy, day 7 (Sunday): Thai(ish) turkey burgers
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Whimsy's explanation
There are to many great things to cover about this day, including that it's the beginning of two days in Gloucester, MA, with a couple of high school pals and their families, that I'm at the ocean for the first time in ages, that there are moon snails to watch and holes to dig and views of Boston and glorious sunsets and kids' eyes to observe things through.
But for simple joys?
The turkey burgers we had for dinner were just amazing, thanks to one of the high school friends and his wife. Ground turkey, fresh ginger, fish sauce, and scallions, all made into patties and grilled, topped with siracha mayonnaise, cilantro (for those of us who don't hate it), crushed peanuts...
Oh. My. God.
I kind of don't want to eat anything else ever again.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Whimsy's explanation
There are to many great things to cover about this day, including that it's the beginning of two days in Gloucester, MA, with a couple of high school pals and their families, that I'm at the ocean for the first time in ages, that there are moon snails to watch and holes to dig and views of Boston and glorious sunsets and kids' eyes to observe things through.
But for simple joys?
The turkey burgers we had for dinner were just amazing, thanks to one of the high school friends and his wife. Ground turkey, fresh ginger, fish sauce, and scallions, all made into patties and grilled, topped with siracha mayonnaise, cilantro (for those of us who don't hate it), crushed peanuts...
Oh. My. God.
I kind of don't want to eat anything else ever again.
Extracting joy, day 6 (Saturday): Private air shows
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Whimsy's explanation
I've recently taken up running. Sometimes I say "again" when I say that, but actually, I've never really been a runner. I take it up every few years and give it up pretty quickly. That I've been doing it a week now is, if not unprecedented, at least unusual. I'm ramping up slowly, with a run-walk program that seems to be about right for my fitness level, and I'm doing it mostly with a friend (sometimes two), which keeps me accountable.
Saturday, though, I was on my own for running. I decided not to do the route I've been doing with my friend, and headed out to the airport, where there's a beautiful flat road that's closed to vehicle traffic during the weekends. It's a small airport, as you might expect, mostly for small planes. There aren't really gates, or the other stuff you expect at a commercial airport. There is, weirdly, an excellent Indian restaurant. And, next weekend, an air show.
As I ran, I was vaguely aware of a plane around, but I wasn't paying attention. Until I heard its engine cut out, and panicked. I scanned the sky and found the plane just as the engine noise restarted — it was a biplane, and it was doing tricks (practicing for next weekend, I assume). And it was AMAZING. Other people probably saw it, too, but I couldn't see them. The plane did swirly loops and twisty barrel rolls and scary freefalls, the whole time I ran and walked. When necessary, I turned around and walked backwards on the walking parts to watch better.
As I got closer to my car, I saw the only other person I saw the whole time. I stopped her on her walk to be sure she saw her own private airshow, too.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Whimsy's explanation
I've recently taken up running. Sometimes I say "again" when I say that, but actually, I've never really been a runner. I take it up every few years and give it up pretty quickly. That I've been doing it a week now is, if not unprecedented, at least unusual. I'm ramping up slowly, with a run-walk program that seems to be about right for my fitness level, and I'm doing it mostly with a friend (sometimes two), which keeps me accountable.
Saturday, though, I was on my own for running. I decided not to do the route I've been doing with my friend, and headed out to the airport, where there's a beautiful flat road that's closed to vehicle traffic during the weekends. It's a small airport, as you might expect, mostly for small planes. There aren't really gates, or the other stuff you expect at a commercial airport. There is, weirdly, an excellent Indian restaurant. And, next weekend, an air show.
As I ran, I was vaguely aware of a plane around, but I wasn't paying attention. Until I heard its engine cut out, and panicked. I scanned the sky and found the plane just as the engine noise restarted — it was a biplane, and it was doing tricks (practicing for next weekend, I assume). And it was AMAZING. Other people probably saw it, too, but I couldn't see them. The plane did swirly loops and twisty barrel rolls and scary freefalls, the whole time I ran and walked. When necessary, I turned around and walked backwards on the walking parts to watch better.
As I got closer to my car, I saw the only other person I saw the whole time. I stopped her on her walk to be sure she saw her own private airshow, too.
Extracting joy, day 5 (Friday): Great shoes
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Whimsy's explanation
Way back last summer, I was working on questions and answers for, I will now admit, an internet dating site.
And one of my dearest friends, who I do not get to see in person very often anymore, but did used to see in person daily, suggested "I have nice legs and am not afraid to wear shoes that show them off" as an answer to one of the questions.
And I sighed heavily, because that used to be true, but when I moved to the country, I got a teensy bit of grief for my shoes and so gave up on cute shoes. But realizing that that was something people used to think about me was enough to inspire me to declare the period from my birthday in August 2009 to the same date 2010 "The Year of Great Shoes."
Now, there are shoe people who have a lot of shoes. I am not, usually, one of them. I generally have a few pairs of shoes I wear in heavy rotation. But this year, I've been committed to making those few pairs great shoes. And people have noticed. And I like that.
So.
Today (Friday), at lunchtime I went into the local consignment store to buy a pair of pants I saw last week and liked.
They didn't have them.
But they did have, in my size and at entirely unbelievable prices:
Three out of four of these shoes were less than $20. One was, in fact, less than $10. The remaining pair was less than half its retail price.
So I bought them all.
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Whimsy's explanation
Way back last summer, I was working on questions and answers for, I will now admit, an internet dating site.
And one of my dearest friends, who I do not get to see in person very often anymore, but did used to see in person daily, suggested "I have nice legs and am not afraid to wear shoes that show them off" as an answer to one of the questions.
And I sighed heavily, because that used to be true, but when I moved to the country, I got a teensy bit of grief for my shoes and so gave up on cute shoes. But realizing that that was something people used to think about me was enough to inspire me to declare the period from my birthday in August 2009 to the same date 2010 "The Year of Great Shoes."
Now, there are shoe people who have a lot of shoes. I am not, usually, one of them. I generally have a few pairs of shoes I wear in heavy rotation. But this year, I've been committed to making those few pairs great shoes. And people have noticed. And I like that.
So.
Today (Friday), at lunchtime I went into the local consignment store to buy a pair of pants I saw last week and liked.
They didn't have them.
But they did have, in my size and at entirely unbelievable prices:
- Slightly worn Steve Madden wedges
- Brand-new Anne Klein wedges
- Brand-new Frye boots
- And brand-new Joan and David pumps
Three out of four of these shoes were less than $20. One was, in fact, less than $10. The remaining pair was less than half its retail price.
So I bought them all.
Extracting joy, day 4 (Thursday): Stretching comfort zones
(Sorry, gang; have had some internet/computer troubles lately. But I have been working on Days 4, 5, 6, and 7.)
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Whimsy's explanation
I had this one all written before it all disappeared. That's fine; it was probably too long anyway.
In recent months, but especially this week, I've been trying to do things outside my comfort zone. There are many reasons for this, but one of the results I didn't expect (and love) is that there seem to be many fewer things that don't seem like the kind of thing I would do anymore, at least to me. Other people probably still get surprised when I do things they wouldn't expect of me, but I don't, as much. Relatively new to that list are:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Whimsy's explanation
I had this one all written before it all disappeared. That's fine; it was probably too long anyway.
In recent months, but especially this week, I've been trying to do things outside my comfort zone. There are many reasons for this, but one of the results I didn't expect (and love) is that there seem to be many fewer things that don't seem like the kind of thing I would do anymore, at least to me. Other people probably still get surprised when I do things they wouldn't expect of me, but I don't, as much. Relatively new to that list are:
- Getting up at 5:30 every morning
- Running
- Internet dating
- Selling jewelry as an advisor for a direct sales company
- Planning a trip to Milwaukee for a conference with the aforementioned direct sales company
- Agreeing with Perez Hilton (seriously. How and when would that happen?)
- Reconnecting with old friends, even ones with whom I ended on not-so-great terms
- Going to see Sex and the City 2
- Communicating honestly — including having the uncomfortable conversations when necessary
- Asking for help at work, when necessary
- Not jumping to the first conclusion I think of
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Extracting joy, day 3: This second
(Day 1)
(Day 2)
(Whimsy's explanation)
So I had a post half-written in my head about my second job, which I do love, and which does give me joy, and which I will likely post about later in the week.
But right now, I am too absorbed by:
(Day 2)
(Whimsy's explanation)
So I had a post half-written in my head about my second job, which I do love, and which does give me joy, and which I will likely post about later in the week.
But right now, I am too absorbed by:
- open windows and
- episode 20, season 3 of Mary Tyler Moore and
- a raging, beautifully cooling thunderstorm and
- my new white cotton nightgown and
- the fading taste of the orange popsicle I ate ten minutes ago and
- this awesome wave of sleepiness that might just overtake me.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Extracting joy, day 2: What's in the garage
(Day 1)
(Whimsy's explanation)
A little pre-today background:
Weeks (months? I don't know.) ago, the two worst nest-builders in the world started attempting to build a nest in my garage, in the rafter right above my car door. I first noticed them one morning when I went out to the garage, and startled two blue jays, who freaked out and flew out of the garage.
When I got home from work that day, I stepped on a pile of twigs and plastic stuff on the floor next to my car.
After a few repeats of this (morning jay freakout, afternoon pile of twigs), it became clear what was going on. I did not imagine they'd successfully build a nest up there, particularly after one day when I startled the male and he crashed into the closed garage door, right next to the open garage door. But succeed they did.
And then the female just started sitting there. All the time. She was no longer freaked out, no longer even really noticed me. Which I assumed meant there were eggs in the (seriously, very poorly constructed) nest.
I finally brought my ladder into the garage from the deck, where it had been sitting all winter. I put it as far from the nest as was possible, considering that the nest is in the dead center of the garage. I climbed it a few times anyway, to look at the female jay. She seemed fine. I'd have been bored. She seemed unbothered by it.
So, today's joy:
There were babies in the nest this morning. Three of them that I could see, silently opening and closing their mouths. Their mother was still there, too, looking proud, though I could just be projecting.
I carried those baby birds in my head and my heart all day today, thinking of them about a thousand times, in meetings, as I went for a walk, as I planned for my evening.
And those weird-looking featherless aliens have completely framed my day. Made me excited. Made me want to get home, just to stare at them.
And when I did, they were still there, still opening and closing mouths, occasionally flailing a naked wing. Their mother was not still there, and who can blame her; she's been sitting there for weeks. She came back.
Seriously, I think she looks proud.
(Whimsy's explanation)
A little pre-today background:
Weeks (months? I don't know.) ago, the two worst nest-builders in the world started attempting to build a nest in my garage, in the rafter right above my car door. I first noticed them one morning when I went out to the garage, and startled two blue jays, who freaked out and flew out of the garage.
When I got home from work that day, I stepped on a pile of twigs and plastic stuff on the floor next to my car.
After a few repeats of this (morning jay freakout, afternoon pile of twigs), it became clear what was going on. I did not imagine they'd successfully build a nest up there, particularly after one day when I startled the male and he crashed into the closed garage door, right next to the open garage door. But succeed they did.
And then the female just started sitting there. All the time. She was no longer freaked out, no longer even really noticed me. Which I assumed meant there were eggs in the (seriously, very poorly constructed) nest.
I finally brought my ladder into the garage from the deck, where it had been sitting all winter. I put it as far from the nest as was possible, considering that the nest is in the dead center of the garage. I climbed it a few times anyway, to look at the female jay. She seemed fine. I'd have been bored. She seemed unbothered by it.
So, today's joy:
There were babies in the nest this morning. Three of them that I could see, silently opening and closing their mouths. Their mother was still there, too, looking proud, though I could just be projecting.
I carried those baby birds in my head and my heart all day today, thinking of them about a thousand times, in meetings, as I went for a walk, as I planned for my evening.
And those weird-looking featherless aliens have completely framed my day. Made me excited. Made me want to get home, just to stare at them.
And when I did, they were still there, still opening and closing mouths, occasionally flailing a naked wing. Their mother was not still there, and who can blame her; she's been sitting there for weeks. She came back.
Seriously, I think she looks proud.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Extracting joy, day 1: A bulleted list (of course)
Have you seen this thing of Whimsy's? It's a neat idea, right? And kind of out of keeping with much of my personality, right? Which is only an advantage to you, readers (if readers still there be).
Because either:
And I know that three of you still check here from time to time (I mean you, J and B and K). Thanks. This one's for you. And for Whimsy, because this will not be the one that wins, but it will be my declaration of intent. The winning entry will be later in the week.
Here are the joys I have extracted from this day, none of which I have yet properly taken quite enough time for:
Because either:
- I will feel compelled to balance, which means a whole lot of posts in this seemingly abandoned place, or
- I won't, but you'll get joyful posts for a week.
And I know that three of you still check here from time to time (I mean you, J and B and K). Thanks. This one's for you. And for Whimsy, because this will not be the one that wins, but it will be my declaration of intent. The winning entry will be later in the week.
Here are the joys I have extracted from this day, none of which I have yet properly taken quite enough time for:
- Memories of a lovely weekend, with amazing people, new and less-new
- My sister's hand-me downs
- The discovery that Magnum condoms are actually regular-sized condoms (what? So I giggled. You did, too.)
- Plans for an exciting new world-changing project
- Praise for the new thing I do at work
- Praise from my mom for another thing I did at work
- New running shoes, daring me to make good on my promises of running (no, seriously. I will. Soon, I'm sure.)
- An even-better-than-expected rewatching of Stranger than Fiction, which, really, if you watched it before and liked it pretty well, watch it again with an eye for the details. If you didn't see it, watch it, quick, so you can watch it again.
- Phone conversations with old friends
- Beautiful, beautiful weather, just a little hot, in a way that I may get sick of in August, but totally relish in May
- A sugar-free cherry Popsicle, which is delightfully and surprisingly much better than the generic version
- Sleeping with wide-open windows, strategically chosen for maximum cross-breeze
Back to basics
Here is what living in the country is like:
It's like when you start telling someone that they have karaoke the first Thursday of the month at the Chinese restaurant at the gas station, and everyone thinks you're talking about the other Chinese restaurant at the gas station.
It's like when you start telling someone that they have karaoke the first Thursday of the month at the Chinese restaurant at the gas station, and everyone thinks you're talking about the other Chinese restaurant at the gas station.
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